Xerostomia refers to dry mouth caused by a lack of saliva and is often associated with some form of salivary gland dysfunction.
In the field of oral care, xerostomia is problematic as saliva provides a protective effect on the teeth and can dilute or wash away harmful bacteria and/or food particles from the oral cavity. Failure to protect the teeth or allowing an accumulation of harmful bacteria/food particles can lead to bad breath (halitosis) or more seriously, to infections of the mucosal or periodontal tissue of the oral cavity.
Although M3 receptor agonists are known, e.g. pilocarpine, their use is limited by potential interactions with concomitant medications and/or medical conditions. Therefore, a need still exists in the art for alternative agents and compositions for the treatment of xerostomia (dry mouth).